Buttonhole-sewing machine.



D. MILLS. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MAGHINE. APPLIGATION FILED mu'zo, 1896.

908,302. Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, in-iwflla WITNESSES: INVENTOB D. MILLS.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1896.

Patented De0.29,19 08.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mini/um INVENTOR M ATTORNEY WITNESSES flnr/ m5 7 D. MILLS.

WITNESSES:

[WK/2M2 Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lNVENTUR M M ATTORNEY Y L BM 11f MILLS.

BUTTONHOLE SEWINGMAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1896.

Patented De0.29,1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR M ATTORNEY WITNESSES? a {Wyn UNITED srA'rEs PATENT oEEIOE.

DANIEL MILLs, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, Ass'IeNoE TO THE STANDARD sEwINe MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BUTTONI-IOLE-SE WING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908 Application filed July 20, 1896. Serial No. 599,804.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL MILLS, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, taken in connection with the drawings herewith accompanying, is a specification.

My invention relates to button-hole sewing machines, and has more particular reference to the button-hole cutting mechanism forming part thereof, and to certain other de vices forming part of the machine adapted to I be operated in combination with said cutting mechanism.

The invention comprises certain means for operating in combination with the buttonhole cutter and with the upper movable member of the work-clamp or carrier, wl1ereby the cutter will first be operated or depressed to cut a button-hole and returned to its normal position, and the movable member of the work-clamp be then raised to release the work containing the button-hole held thereunder, at one and the same operation on the part of the operator.

The invention further comprises certain means for preventing the button-hole cutter from being depressed or moved to cutting position, except when the button-hole has been completed and moved into position to be cut.

The invention further comprises various other features of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter set forth in detail and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, represents a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, a portion of the bed-plate on the under side thereof being broken away to more clearly show the several parts. Fig. 2, represents an enlarged end elevation of a portion of the machine,

* looking toward the right as shown in Fig. 1,

the upper portion of the arm, a portion of the cloth-plate and the shuttle mechanism being removed. Fig. 3, represents a view of the machine from a side opposite that shown in Fig. 2, and looking toward the left from a point through line 33 of Fig. 4, the different positions of the several parts being shown in full and dotted lines, and-Fig. 4, represents a plan view of such portion of the machine as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the machine arm omitted, but showing certain of the parts that have connection therewith. In this view the cutter is shown in a lowered or cutting position.

To explain in detaila represents the arm of the machine, a the work-plate, a the ordinary disk tension device for the upper thread a and a the needle.

At the front end of the machine and upon the work-plate thereof, I have located a work-clamp or carrier which may be of any suitable construction and be operated by any suitable mechanism, so as to hold the goods in which the button-hole is to be made and properly guide and direct the same relative to the stitching mechanism, whereby a button-hole may be stitched in the usual manner as well understood by those skilled in the art. The work-clamp as herein shown, (see Fig. 4) consists of a lower plate I), and an upper vertically movable plate I), the latter being supported to have a normal downward pressure upon the plate b to clamp and hold the goods interposed between the same. Both of these plates 5 and b are longitudinally slotted, as at b in Fig. 4, for the passage of the needle and the button-hole cutter. The lower plate I) is supported to slide upon a pivoted vibrating plate b and is operated to have the usual step by step movement thereon in a direction lengthwise of the slot therein, by means of an engaging lever 6 and to receive its transverse, or to and fro, movement across the path of the needle, by its supporting plate 6 which latter is Operated to vibrate upon the work-plate by means of. an operat ing lever If". The operating mechanism for both the levers b and b is omitted in the drawings, as these levers maybe operated by any suitable mechanism without affecting the spirit of my invention.

The lower plate I) of the work-clamp is provided with a fixed arm or extension I) upon which the several parts for supporting and operating the upper movable member 6 of the work-clamp are secured, whereby the said upper plate b will be movable with the lower plate I) during its operations as described.

0 represents the work-cutter, which, as herein shown and according to my invention, may be formed upon, or secured to, a pivotally supported or hinged rocking lever c, which latter has substantially a U-shaped form so as to embrace the work-plate a at the rear side thereof, with its upper arm 0 extending above the work-plate to support the attached cutter c in proper position whereby, when depressed by said lever, it will be passed through the usual slotted throat-plate a to cut the work or the stitched button-hole therein. The lower arm 0 of this lever extends beneath the work-plate to be operated thereat in a manner and by means as will be hereinafter described.

The cutter 0 when depressed into operative cutting position, is preferably arranged to co-act with one edge or wall of the elongated slot a in the throat-plate of, like one blade of a pair of shears against another, the said edge or wall thus acting as a stationary cutter with which the said movable cutter c co-acts.

The cutter lever c as herein illustrated, is mounted upon a shaft d which is loosely journaled in suitable bearings on the under side of the work-plate a and adjacent to the rear side thereof, so as to be capable of an oscillating movement and permit the connected cutter lever c to have a rocking movement, whereby its cutter end may be operated to be depressed and raised to and from an operative cutting position as described. 'l'he upper arm 0 of the cutter lever is formed with an offset therein, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4., whereby the said lever at the point where it passes around the edge of the work-plate will be located a considerable distance at one side of its cutter end as shown, so as to allow for the free passage of the goods over the cloth-plate beneath the arm 0 and without interference with the same. Said cutter lever c, as herein shown, is movably held in a normal raised position with its cutter 0 held above the work-clamp, in the position as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a spring d (shown in.

dotted lines in Fig. 1) which is mounted upon the shaft (1 and arranged to act thereon in a manner to hold the connected cutter lever in a raised position as described.

As a simple and convenient means for supporting the cutter lever c with its cutter c in a laterally adjustable position relative to the length of the button-hole and also to the edge of the slot (1 in the throat-plate with which it co-acts, I have provided the shaft 01 with a collar d thereon as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and have located the spring d upon said shaft between the collar (2 thereon and a stationary bearing d on the under side of the work-plate, all as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, which spring exerts a longitudinal pressure upon the shaft d and holds the same against one end of an adjusting-screw d which is supported in a lug d on the under side of the work-plate a. By this arrangement of parts, it will be understood that by simply turning the screw (1 either backward or forward, the shaft d, being held against the same by the spring (Z, will be moved therewith and the cutter 0 upon the connected cutter lever .12 be adjusted accordingly. In this manner the cutter 0 may be easily and accurately adjusted relative to the button-hole and the wall of the slot in the throat-plate. It will be understood however that I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this particular construction for securing the lateral adjustment of the cutter c, as any suitable means within the scope of the appended claims may be employed to secure the same result.

As another and additional means for ad justing and directing the cutter c laterally relative to the button-hole and the wall of the throat-plate slot a I have provided a lever e which is pivotally supported upon the arm a'at e, as shown in rigs. 2 and 3, with one end extending in a position adjacent to the rear side of the knife carrying end of the cutter lever, and, as herein shown, is provided with a roller e thereon for engaging with the rear side of said cutter lever when the latter is depressed, to prevent lateral deflection of the same from proper position to cut the center of the button-hole and co-act with the stationary cutter. 'lhe upper end of this lever e is provided with an extension e which extends to a position in front of the arm a as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where it is provided with an adjustingscrew 6 which engages with the arm a or the face-plate thereon. By turning this adjusting-screw e in the proper direction, the lower end of the lever 6 will be moved either forward or backward in a direction lengthwise of the machine, or at right angles to the length of the button-hole, in order to allow for any adjustment of the cutter lever and also to be adjustably held in proper position to serve as a support and guide against which the said cutter lever will act in operation and be held thereby to its proper operative position relative to the button-hole and the edge of the throat-plate slot.

The arm or extension 1) upon the lower plate I) of the work-clamp, extends, as herein shown, in a direction toward the center of the work-plate a and is provided with a vertical arm or extension b at its inner end upon which the several parts for supporting and operating the upper movable member I) of the work-clamp are supported as will be described. The said clamp-plate b is connected with one end of an arm or lever f which is pivotally secured at its opposite end upon the arm I). A second lever f, which I will term the clamp-controller, is pivotally supported at f upon the opposite side of the arm I), and is provided with an arm projecting from one side thereof supporting an anti-friction roller f which engages with the upper surface of the clamp carrying lever f as more clearly Fig. 1. lhis controller lever f is yieldingly held in a normal position with the said roller thereon exerting a downward pressure upon the clamp lever f so as to hold the connected clamp-plate b in clamping-engagement with the lower plate b, by means of a spring f which latter, as herein shown, is supported upon a stud projecting from one side of the arm 5 with one end extending beneath a pin f secured upon the lever f adjacent to the rear end thereof as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, so as to exert an upward pressure against said pin and thereby movably hold the front end of the c011- troller lever with a normal downward pressure for the purpose described.

The clamp plate carrying lever f is held upward against the roller f on the controller lever f so as to be vertically movable therewith, by means of a spring f acting against the under side of the same, and is provided with an inclined or cam surface f 7 on its upper side adjacent to the roller f which is so formed that as the said roller f 3 is moved forward and upward by the operator depressing the rear end of the lever f, the lever f will thereby be allowed to raise under the action of the spring f and elevate the connected clamp-plate. By means of this arrange ment of parts, it will be readily understood that by depressing the rear end of the lever f, the upper clamp-plate will be elevated from its clamping position, and upon releasing the said lever f the several parts will be returned to their normal and clamping position under the action of the spring f In combination with the upper clamp late 7) and the cutter lever c as described, I iave provided operating means whereby the cutter will be first depressed to cut the goods containing the button-hole and returned to its normal position, and the upper clampplate be then elevated to release the goods ield thereunder, at one operation on the part of the operator. These operating means as herein illustrated, consist of a shaft h which is loosely journaled to oscillate in suitable hearings on the under side of the work-plate a, and is provided with a fixed arm 7t, which latter, has connection, through the medium 'of a vertically arranged pivotally connected link 77, extending through an opening in the work-plate a, with one end of a horizontally arranged lever k which has a pivoted con.- nection with the arm of the machine at h. By this arrangement of parts, when the inner end of the arm 72, is lowered by means as will be described, the connecting end. of the lever ft? is lowered thereby and engages with the pin f on one side of the clamp-controller ever f and de resses the latter to allow the clamp-plate to e elevated so as to release the goods as before described.

The means for depressing the clamp-conshown in t'roller f from below the work-plate as described, may be modified more or less without departure from my invention; for instance, the connecting rod 7L might be provided with a short fixed arm thereon for engaging with the pin f on the clamp-controller, in lieu of connecting with the lever h as shown.

The shaft 7t is provided with a second rigidly connecting arm 71/ having its inner end extended to a position adjacent to the lower inner end of the cutter lever c, and is provided with a lateral projection h which is arranged to engage with the end of a pivoted trip-latch 72, secured upon the end of the said cutter lever c, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. The inner end of the arm h is provided with an opening h therein, adapted to receive the end of a foot treadle pitman rod not herein shown, as a means by which said arm h may be operated by the foot of the operator to operate the several connecting parts in a manner as follows: The several parts are in a normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and by depressing the inner end of the arm h the projection 7L7 thereon en ages with the trip-latch its on the cutter lever c and moves the latter therewith as shown by full lines in Fig. 3, until the cutter c on the upper arm thereof has been depressed sufiiciently to pass through the goods containing the button-hole and cut the latter, at which time the projection 7L7 disengages with the trip-latch it by reason of said parts being 1IlOV(l in the arc of a circle in opposite directions, and the cutter lever is then automatically returned to its normal raised. position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 8. After the cutter lever has been thus released, (it being understood that during such movement of the arm 72, the lever if has been lowered through the medium of the described connections to a position to engage with the pin f on the lever f but not suflicient to move the latter) by the c011- tinued downward movement of the arm It, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lever 72 is lowered sufliciently to depress the end of the lever f 3 and allow the clamp-plate to raise, as also shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and release the goods held thereunder. By this described arrangement, the several parts are each operated to successively perform their function at the proper time by the single operation of lowering the arm h. After the latter has been so operated, it is raised with the other arm 71 on the shaft h and the connecting lever h to their normal elevated position, by means of a spring 719 which, as herein shown, is supported upon the shaft h and arranged to act thereon to hold the several connecting parts in their said normal raised position.

The pivoted trip-latch k on the cutter lever c is movably held in its normal position to be engaged by the projection 72, on

the arm h at the downward stroke of the latter, by means of a spring h. This construc tion allows said latch to be moved from the path of the arm h on the return upward movement of the latter.

In order that the tension upon the upper or needle thread a may be released simultaneously with the raisin of the upper clampplate I) to release the goods held thereunder, I have provided means to be operated by the clamp-controller lever f for acting upon the tension device, as follows: A shaft i, as herein shown, is mounted in suitable bearings in the arm a of the machine by extending through the front vertical portion of the same as shown, and is provided with a rigidly connected arm 17 at one end thereof which is loosely connected with the lever f by having a pin i thereon extend within an elongated slot i in the end of said lever f The opposite end of this shaft is provided with a second rigidly connected arm i which latter is preferably formed with a wedge-shaped end i, as more clearly shown in ligs. 1 and 3, adapted to be entered betweenthe disks of the tension device a and separate the same to release the tension upon the interposed thread. This tension releasing device being connected with the lever f as described, is operated to enter its wedge-shaped end i between the tension disks by the upward movement of the connecting end of the lever f, when the latter is operated either by hand or by the lever h as before described, and thus act to release the tension upon the thread simultaneously with the raising of the clamplate. p It will be understood that the work-clamp, when being operated to properly guide and direct the material held thereby to have a button-hole stitched, moves longitudinally forward from, and returns to, a given starting point, at which point the material is held in proper position to have a stitched buttonhole cut; and in order to prevent the cutter lever c from being operated by mistake or otherwise to depress the knife 0 at any time except when the work-clamp is in the proper position to have the button-hole cut, and thereby prevent injury to the knife by reason of its coming in contact with the end of the upper clamp-plate b, and also prevent the material from being out except when in proper position, I have produced a suitable stopdevice, represented at k, for said lever. This stop-device, as herein shown, consists of a vertically arranged plate having a flange or foot-piece lc by which it is adjustably secured upon the plate I) of the Work-clamp, in a position to extend beneath the upper arm a of the cutter lever during such time as the said work-clamp is being operated to secure the stitching of a button-hole. When the work-clamp is in the position taken at the end of its return movement, as shown in Fig. 4, the stop-device carried thereby, is in a position to allow the cutter to be depressed, as in Fig. 4 where it is shown as being in such depressed position, but as the work-clamp begins its forward movement and during the time until the end of its return movement, the stop-device moves beneath the said cutter lever and prevents depression of the same as will be readily understood.

The foot of said stop-device is slotted as at W, whereby it may be adjusted to allow the cutter to be depressed sooner or later according to the length of the button-hole to be stitched.

Having thus illustrated and described one practical embodiment of the several features of my invention ,I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts as shown and described, as it will be obvious that the same may be more or less materially modified without departure from my invention, and be within the scope of the claims forming part of this specification.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination with a stationary cutter, of a hinged lever having a cutter for cooperating with said stationary cutter, and an adjusting lever engaging said cutter lever, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination with a stationary cutter, of a hinged cutter lever, a pivotally supported adj usting lever arranged with one end engaging the said cutter lever adjacent to its cutting end and at one side thereof, and means for adjusting the position of the engaging end of said adjusting lever, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, with a Work-clamp embodying a vertically movable plate as a part thereof which is normally held in a lowered clamping position, of a movable cutter normally held in a raised position, and mechanism forming an operative connection between said cutter and the movable clamp-plate, whereby the cutter may be first depressed into cutting position and returned to its normal raised position, and the clamp-plate be then raised, at one operation on the part of the operator,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, of a work-clamp embodying as a part thereof a vertically movable plate which is normally held in a lowered clamping position, a hinged cutter lever normally held in a raised position, and mechanism forming an operative connection between said cutter beginning of its forward movement, or the l and the movable clamp-plate, whereby the 130 cutter may be first depressed into cutting,

tion, a lever having a cutter or blade, and

mechanism for engaging with said clamp controller lever and said cutter lever, whereby the cutter may be first depressed into cutting position and the clamp-plate be then raised, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a button-hole sewing machine, the

combination, of a work-clamp embodying a vertically movable plate, which is normally held in a clamping position, a U-shaped rocking lever having one end extended above the work-plate of the machine and provided with a cutter, and its other arm extended beneath the work-plate, and mechanism forming a connection between the lower arm of said lever and with the said clamp-plate, whereby the cutter may be first operated and returned to its normal osition, and the clamp-plate be then raised at one operation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, of the work-clamp embodying a vertically movable plate as a part thereof, a pivoted controller lever for raising and lowering said clamp-plate through the medium of connecting means, a hinged cutter lever normally held with its cutting end in an elevated position, and mechanism for successively engaging with said cutter and with said controller lever at one operation of the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, of a Work-clamp embodying a vertically movable plate as a part thereof, a pivoted controller lever for raising and lowering said clamp-plate through the medium of connecting means, a hinged cutter lever normally held with its cutting end in an elevated position, a rock-shaft having two fixed arms thereon, one of said arms having means connecting therewith for engaging with said clamp-controller lever, and the other arm being arranged to engage with said cutter lever, whereby, when said arms are lowered by a connecting treadle pitman or other device, the said cutter will be first operated and returned to its normal position and the clampplate be then raised, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, of a work-clamp embodying a vertically movable plate as a part thereof, a

pivoted controller lever for raising and lowering said clamp-plate through the medium of connecting means, a hinged cutter lever normally held with its cutting end in an elevated position, a pivoted lever for engaging with said controller lever, a rock-shaft supported in suitable bearings on the under side of the work-plate and having two fixed arms, one of said arms having operative connection with said controller engaging lever, and its other arm being arranged to engage with said cutter lever, whereby, when said arms are lowered, the cutter will be first depressed and the clamp-plate be then elevated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, with a work-clamp embodying a movable plate as a part thereof, a clampcontroller for raising and lowering said clamp-plate through the medium of connecting means, a U-shaped rocking lever having -one arm thereof extend above the workplate and provided with a cutter, and the other arm extend beneath said work-plate and provided with a trip-latch thereon, a rock-shaft having two fixed arms, one of said arms having connection with means for engaging with said clamp-controller, and the other arm arranged to engage with the triplatch on said rocking lever, the several parts being so arranged relative to each other, that, as the said arms are depressed, the cutter is first depressed and then released to be returned to its raised position, and the clamp-plate then elevated; and means for automatically returning the rock-shaft with the several connecting parts to their normal position and holding the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, with a work-clamp and its operating mechanism, of a hinged cutter lever supported to be operated independent of the stitch-forming and clamp moving mechanism, and a stop-device supported to be movable with said work-clamp to and from a position beneath the cutter lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, with a Work-clamp and its operating mechanism, of a hinged cutter lever supported to be operated independent of the stitch-forming and clamp moving mechanism, and a stop-device having an adjustable connection with the work-clamp to be moved therewith to and from a position beneath the cutter lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

DANL. MILLS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. DANE, A. L. HAYEs. 

